PACC Committee Meeting
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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting No. 4
Thursday, March 1st, 2001
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts met at 3:31 p.m. this day, in Room 209, West Block, the Chair, John Williams, presiding.
Members of the Committee present: John Bryden, Odina Desrochers, Mac Harb, Marlene Jennings and John Williams.
Acting Members present: Ivan Grose for Shawn Murphy, Charles Hubbard for Alex Shepherd, Ken Epp for Philip Mayfield and Maurice Vellacott for Joe Peschisolido.
Associate Members present: Ken Epp and Maurice Vellacott.
In attendance: From the Parliamentary Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: Brian O'Neal and Jean Dupuis, Researchers.
Witnesses: From the Office of the Auditor General of Canada: L. Denis Desautels, Auditor General of Canada; Sheila Fraser, Deputy Auditor General, Audit Operations; John Wiersema, Assistant Auditor General, Audit Operations Branch. From the Treasury Board Secretariat: Richard J. Neville, Deputy Comptroller General; Rodney Monette, Assistant Comptroller General and Assistant Secretary, Financial Management Policy and Analysis Sector; and John Morgan, Senior Director, Government Accounting Policy.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(e), the Committee proceeded to consider the Public Accounts of Canada 1999-2000.
Richard J. Neville from Treasury Board Secretariat made a statement.
L. Denis Desautels from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada made a statement.
L. Denis Desautels, Richard J. Neville and Rodney Monette answered questions.
By consent, the Chair presented the FIRST REPORT of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure whis is as follows:
Your Sub-Committee met on Thursday, February 22, 2001 and has agreed to make the following recommendations:
1. That a televised meeting be scheduled to consider the Report of the Auditor General of Canada, February 2001 on Tuesday, February 27, 2001 at 10:30 a.m.
2. That the Public Accounts of Canada 1999-2000 be considered on Thursday, March 1, 2001.
3. That a meeting be held to consider the Performance Report of the Auditor General of Canada for the period ending March 31, 2000.
4. That during the month of March 2001, a meeting be held on the Treasury Board's Internal Audit and Evaluation Policy in conjunction with the Auditor General's comments on improving performance in Government spending. (pages 7 to 25 of December 2000 Report)
5. That during the month of March 2001, meetings be held to consider the following Topics on the October 2000 Report of the Auditor General:
a) Chapter 11 - HRDC: Grants and Contributions;
b) Chapter 14 - CIDA: Contracts and Contributions;
c) Chapter 15 - Health Canada: First Nations Health.
6. Heating Fuel Rebate Waiver Request from Treasury Board.
It was agreed, - That the FIRST REPORT of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure be concurred in.
The Committee proceeded to consider matters relating to Reports of the Committee presented to the House during the 36th Parliament.
It was agreed: - That the Committee has considered the following Reports of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts which were presented to the House during the Second Session of the Thirty-Sixth Parliament:
The Eleventh Report - (Canada Infrastructure Works Program: Phase II and Follow-up Phase I audit), tabled in the House June 8, 2000;
The Twelfth Report – (Sole-Source Contracting for Professionnal Services: Using Advance Contract Award Notices), tabled in the House June 8, 2000;
The Fourteenth Report – (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada – Elementary and Secondary Education), tabled in the House June 8, 2000;
The Fifteenth Report – Chapter 6 of the April 2000 Report of the Auditor General of Canada (Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and Department of Finance – Handling Tax Credits Claims for Scientific Research and Experimental Development), tabled in the House October 5, 2000;
The Sixteenth Report – (Citizenship and Immigration Canada - the Economic Component of Canadian Immigration Program), tabled in the House October 5, 2000; and
The Seventeenth Report – (Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Services for Canada’s Law Enforcement Agencies), tabled in the House October 5, 2000; and
- That the Committee has concurred in its findings of these reports. In accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 109, the Committee requests that the Government provide a comprehensive response to these reports; and, that the Chair be authorized to report this to the House as the FIRST REPORT of the Committee.
Questioning resumed on the Public Accounts of Canada 1999-2000.
At 5:20 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
Santosh Sirpaul
Clerk of the Committee